Broadcast seeder



(No Model.) y G. W. ELIZRO'I'I-I.Y

BROADCAST SBEDER.

No. 579,049. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

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GEORGE W. ELTZROTH, OF MATTHEWS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO OVEN P. NOTTINGHAM, OF .TRASIQ INDIANA.

BROADCAST SEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,049, dated March 16, 1897.

Application filed August 22, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. En'rznorn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Matthews, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Broadcast Seeder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to seeding-machines, and is of the class known as hand-seeders.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, convenient, and efficient hand seeding-machine, which may be carried upon the person, the same comprising a rotary distributer-wheel, spring-actuated mechanism for automatically operating the same, and a stop for checking the operating mechanism or releasing and throwing the same into operation, thus reducing the labor of broadcast sowing to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a seeder constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the machine, the same being broken away to show the operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the rotary distributer.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the main body of the device, which is in the form of a rectangular box of sufficient size to receive the operating mechanism for the distributer. This box may be either of wood or metal, and where it is constructed from the former material suitable frame-plates 2 are mounted within the box, said plates being adapted to receive the arbors or shafts of the several gears which go to make up the actuating-train. The mechanism employed is similar to an ordinary clock mechanism,the same being actuated by means Serial No. 603,637. (No model.)

of a coiled spring 3, which may be wound by means of a suitable crank or handle 4f, projecting below the bottom of the box, within reach of the operator. At the advance end of the box 1 is arranged the shaft 5 of the distributer-wheel, (indicated at 6,) said shaft being journaled, preferably, in the frame plates 2.

The distributer-wheel 6 comprises a hori- Zontal disk 7, upon which are arranged radiating blades 8. Any number of these blades may be employed, according to the character' of the grain to be sowed, and each of said blades is 1n ade tapering from its inner toward its outer end,where it is bent over in U shape to comprise a bottom flange 9 and an upper overhanging and outwardly-declining flange 10. Each of the blades is thus provided with 7o what may be termed a tapering or graduallycontracting mouth or discharge end, which has the effect of giving greater impetus to the grain as it is thrown out by centrifugal force, thus causing the grain to be projected to a 7 5 greater distance.

It will be observed that the distributerwheel comprises a hub with rigidly-attached or integral vanesor blades extending therefrom, said hub and vanes being securely at- 8o tached to the disk 7, so as to revolve therewith, said hub being attached to the shaft 5 to revolve with it.

11 designates a hopper which is provided with an inclined bottom 12, the lower end of 8 5 which is directly over the distributing-wheel. Arranged under the inclined bottom 12 is a longitudinally-movable slide 13, working between suitable guides 14 and connected pivotally to an intermediate point on an oper- 9o ating-lever l5, fulcrumed on the hopper and having its free end projected through a slot in the side of the hopper-frame within reach of the operator. By moving said lever the operator may open or close the slide to any 9 5 desired extent for regulating the flow of the grain to the distributer-wheel or cutting off the same altogether. The hopper overhangs the distributer-wheel, and the shaft of said wheel is journaled at its upper end in a bearroo ing attached to the lower part of said hopper.

16 designates a sack of textile or other suitable flexible material, which is attached at its bottom edge to the top edge of the hopper and provided at its top with a strap or band 17, which the operator may place over his shoulders and around his neck for supporting the seeding-machine as he walks across the Iield.

18 denotes a curved deflector arranged under the hopper and above the top wall of the box I, said deflector serving to prevent the seed from being thrown back toward the operator and causing the same to be projected in the proper direction.

19 represents a stop, which consists of a threaded spindle screwing through one side of the box l and provided exteriorly thereof with a milled head for operating it, and provided at its inner end with a button 20, constructed, preferably, otlwood or some other soft material which will not injure the actuating mechanism. By screwing said stop inward the button carried thereby will impinge against one of the gears forming the actuating-train and arrest the motion thereof while the hopper is being filled or when the operator reaches the end of the eld. After having Wound up the actuating-spring, and when ready to begin the operation of sowing, the operator, by screwing the stop outward, may release the train of gearing, thus imparting motion to the distributing-wheel. By now partially drawing' the slide in the bottom of the hopper the seed or grain will fall upon the rotating distribLiter-wheel and be broadcast thereby.

It will be understood that the machine is susceptible of changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, which may accordingly be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. In a broadcast seeder, a suitable box or frame, and a superposed hopper, in combination with a rotary distributer arranged under said hopper, means to control the discharge of seed from the hopper to the distributer, spring-actuated mechanism operatively connected to said distributer, and a movable stop for holding the actuating mechanism stationary or releasing the same, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a broadcast seeder, a distributerwheel comprising a basedislr, a hub carrying a series of radial vanes or blades of substantially U shape in cross-section at their outer ends, said vanes being rigidly attached to said disk and extending beyond the outer edge thereof and each consisting of a baseange extending from the hub to the outer end of the vane, and an upper flange cut away adjacent to the hub to permit the seed to drop from the hopper to the disk in front of the blades, and the outer portion of said flange declining as it extends outward to form a tapering nozzle or discharge end, substantially as described.

3. In a broadcast seeder, a box or frame and a superposed hopper,in combination with a rotary distributer journaled horizontally under the hopper, means to control the discharge of seed from the hopper to the distributer, a train of gearing operatively connected with the distributer, and means for arresting and releasing the operative mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. ELTZROTH.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. BURNS, OWEN P. NOTTINGHAM. 

